


Sympathy, Tenderness

by irinasworld



Category: The Umbrella Academy (Comics), The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: (Between Allison & Luther), Kidnapping, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Multi, POV Second Person, Past Character Death, Past Child Abuse, Past Relationship(s), Protective Ben Hargreeves, Protective Diego Hargreeves, Protective Klaus Hargreeves, Pseudo-Incest, Reader Has Powers, Reader-Insert, Reginald Hargreeves' A+ Parenting, Vanya Hargreeves Needs A Hug, reader - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-19
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2020-05-14 15:04:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19275745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/irinasworld/pseuds/irinasworld
Summary: On the 12th hour of the first day of October 1989, 43 women around the world gave birth. This was unusual, only in the fact that none of these women had been pregnant when the first day began. Sir Reginald Hargreeves, eccentric billionaire and adventurer, resolved to locate and adopt as many of the children as possible. In the end, he had only gotten his hands on eight of these children.Number 8, like the rest of her 6 siblings (minus 7, she was ordinary), had powers Reginald wished to exploit. He trained them, tortured them for his benefit, and separated the once close siblings. His growing greed was their undoing. His death should have brought them together, but it takes more than a dead father to rekindle broken bonds.





	1. BREAKING NEWS: He's Dead.

_On the 12th hour of the first day of October 1989, 43 women around the world gave birth. This was unusual, only in the fact that none of these women had been pregnant when the first day began. Sir Reginald Hargreeves, eccentric billionaire and adventurer, resolved to locate and adopt as many of the children as possible. In the end, he had only gotten his hands on eight of these children._

 

 

You typed furiously away at your old computer, hurrying to make the deadline before your boss berated you for missing it again. It didn't help that you were trapped in a hot stuffy office room with several of your co-workers. Most of your co-workers had been sick, something about being under the weather, and missed out for a few days. You didn't have to worry about being sick though. Throughout your childhood, you never got sick or injured. While the rest of your siblings and the world suffered with the flu, you never caught it.

When you were 7, Reginald Hargreeves decided to test his theory by sticking you in a room full of your contaminated brothers and sisters and not once did you catch anything. Reginald kept his little experiments going by having Mom give you a small dose of smallpox. Your body rejected it and before the end of the day was over, you were clear of any illnesses. The next day he stuck you with your ill siblings and have them make any contact with you. Soon enough, they were fully healed, but you were exhausted to the brink of collapsing. You, like the rest of your 6 siblings, had been labeled with powers. You were gifted with healing powers, able to heal yourself and others of their injuries or illnesses at the cost of your energy. Unfortunately, Seven did not have any powers. She was ordinary. There were times where your siblings had wished they weren't cursed with powers, so Reginald wouldn't subject them to such torture. The Hargreeves household was Hell to all of you and by the time you all turned 18, you left without hesitation.

 _'Not like they needed a reason though._ ' You snorted bitterly.  _'I'm sure that anyone would leave if their father put them through Hell.'_ You left as well and landed in a small office job with little pay, but at least you were out. A small price to pay for freedom, but it was worth it.

"(Y/N) Hargreeves? I need to see you in my office." The intercom spoke over the room. 

 _'Great. He'll just pile more work on me since I'm the only person who isn't practically hospitalized.'_ You sighed softly and got up to your boss's office. Your heels clicked with every step you took. Your eyes observed every person that typed away in their little cramped cubicle. You opened the door to reveal your boss looking at you with solemn eyes, almost like he was grieving. He gestured his hand towards a chair, wanted you to take a seat for any news you would be receiving. You pulled it towards his desk and waited for him to speak. He looked at you again with his grieved eyes and spoke first.

"Ms. Hargreeves, have you heard from your father lately?" Ah, him. Your boss had always favored your eccentric billionaire of a father and when you had introduced yourself to him, his expectations went through the roof. Even when you had left the mansion, you were always burdened by him. It had seemed like his name would follow you forever, haunting you like a ghost.

"No, sir. I haven't spoken with him ever since I left the house. My apologies for asking, but what's so important about him right now?" You could worry about your father later. But deadlines were due, and a discussion about your father wasn't exactly exciting you. 

Your boss doesn't answer you right away. Instead he pulled his computer towards you and showed you the daily news playing. An anchor news lady talked through the TV with giant headlines blared on the screen.

**BREAKING NEWS: SIR REGINALD HARGREEVES IS DEAD**

Your boss told you could take leave for as long as you needed and rambled on about how good of a man he was to the world, but your eyes stayed glued to the screen. A million things ran through your head, trying to make sense of this.  _"Is he really dead? What did he die of? Do the others know about this already?"_

That's right. Your siblings would have caught wind of his death. It went through your mind that you should go back, but would they go back? If they wouldn't, then why should you? If you went, you would risk seeing everyone that you left with bad-terms, but you were able to see Mom and Pogo. They weren't as bad as your father, but they did nothing to intervene with the constant snide remarks and abuse. Even so, Mom loved you and your siblings more than your father and Pogo was more fatherly than your father could ever be. 

Your siblings on the other hand were worrisome. By the time you all were ready to leave, a lot of incidents had happened. Ben's death was the one that broke the camel's back. Hostility towards each other were off the charts, and it didn't help that your father didn't intervene. He would only break up the fights if it benefit him, the selfish bastard. Despite all that happened, you were curious to see what your siblings were up to. You wondered if they were living their lives the way they wanted to. It was clear that Allison's dream was to become a star and with her powers and early publicity, it was easy to become famous. Diego had signed up for police academy and Vanya with her violin skills, but Klaus and Luther were an enigma. Luther stuck with your father, and Klaus's life was spiraling with his addiction to cocaine and pills. Ben was dead, so he was out of question. And Five? He hasn't been back ever since the day he left. You hoped that he was well and he wasn't dead. 

You decided to go back to the Hargreeves' mansion. It would do you well to see them and to give your final fuck you to Reginald Hargreeves. Maybe to your siblings if they decided to act like jerks too. Either way, it would be the last interaction until another Hargreeves decided to drop dead. 

Man, you really needed a drink for tomorrow's funeral.

 


	2. Meet the Hargreeves.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> mansion arrival. sibling arrival time.

Your old car pulled up somewhere close to the your childhood house, where it had stood there, tall and intimidating. You didn't want to park where everyone could see you just waltzing in. After all, people still recognized you from the Umbrella Academy and Vanya's book, _Extra Ordinary: My Life As Number Seven._

Honestly, the first time you read that book, it had infuriated you. She spilled all of your dirty secrets, the ones you had told her when you could tell no one else. You confided in her, not because she was ordinary, but because she wouldn't tattle on you to Reginald like Luther. She didn't hold a grudge and use it as blackmail like Diego or Allison and she seemed like the person to think before she spoke, unlike Klaus. You understood the pain and neglect she went through, Reginald wasn't great period. He left her out, only needing her when it came to observing and being his assistant to our training sessions. But the book hurt the rest of you while she basked in her five minutes of fame.

After a while, you let it go. There wasn't a point at being mad at her anymore, she went through harsh treatment as well. She was your sister, fragile and soft-spoken. It wasn't hard to see that she just needed someone to be there for her, but you couldn't be there because by the time you realized it, it was already too late to turn back. 

Perhaps meeting with them would turn everything around.

-

You opened the large and heavy doors, taking a quick glance around the unnecessarily large house. It hadn't changed since you left, so there probably wasn't much to explore anyways. Not like your father would want you poking around in the first place. 

 

You wonder if your siblings are around. Surely they would've come, right?

Heels gracefully clicked down the stairs. You looked up to see Allison, still gorgeous and glowing as ever. She smiled at you, taking in your tired figure. She chuckled softly before engulfing you in a hug. 

"I didn't think you would come," She spoke and pulled away first. "You never answered your phone."

"Office job." You replied shortly. It seemed to get through to her because she nodded like she knew what you meant. Allison stared straight ahead, making you turn too. Only to see the small and sensitive girl you once knew.

Vanya. She looked tired, like you, but she wore large clothing, framing her child-like figure. She wasn't tall like Allison, instead she remained the same height like she always had. Allison greets her, giving her the same small talk like she did with you. You're stuck staring at her, she's still timid and shy as ever. 

Once Allison pulls away from her hug with Vanya, you figured it's time to say your greetings as well. 

"Hey Vanya," You spoke softly, as if you were talking to a frightened mouse. You tended to do that, since she always looked like she would burst out crying. "Good to see you." Half-true. 

"Ah, what is she doing here?" A voice called out, curt and bitter. It's Diego, but before any of you can speak, he's already rushing out to God knows where. Vanya visibly flinches. After her book came out, Diego had enough with her.

It stung at little that Diego didn't bother to acknowledge you, but you never bothered to drop by, so fair is fair.

Allison quipped back fast. "You're seriously gonna do this today?" She  wasn't having it either. "Way to dress for the occasion, by the way." She snapped a little. 

"At least I'm wearing black." He snapped back and disappeared up the stairs. He's not wrong, but he always wore black. Diego never had an eye for color in his closet. 

"You know what? I-Maybe he's right, and I shouldn't" Vanya started to turn away, but you grabbed her wrist. She already ran away once, but it's time to face the music.

"Forget about him, Vanya. He's just being a dick." You rolled your eyes at his earlier hostility. Despite what she had done, you still adored her and wanted her to stay for a while before she ran off again.

"Well, we're glad you're here." Allison looked like she wanted to say more, but all you could do was give small smiles to each other. It was your cue to take leave. You didn't want it to become awkward.

-

You adventured up the stairs, strings of small memories flood through your mind as you pass every room. You stop at Reginald's office, where he spent most of his time when he wasn't working your ass off.

_Grace knocked on the office door, where behind her was you and your siblings. It was bed time, but each of you were secretly hoped that your father would give an ounce of attention to you all before it was lights out._

_"The children are ready for bed, Sir," Grace spoke sweetly and kind as a mother could be. " They wanted to say goodnight."_

_He didn't even glance up at her, but she pulled open the door to reveal each of you in your uniformed pajamas. He was working on his journal, constantly writing but never looking at any of you. None of you can pile in the room, he's forbid you from stepping in his office, so you all awkwardly stood there. Grace stood by, giving everyone a clear shot of their father writing. It hasn't even been a minute, and it's clear to see that he was not interested in speaking. The atmosphere becomes to much to bear and even Grace can sense the tension._

_"Okay! Time for bed now, kids."  She gently rushed you all away from the office. Pathetic, he won't even give a minute to spare to his own kids. "Come along now."  She repeated mantra until each of you went to your respected rooms._ _You see that Allison lingered around, with Grace trying to get her to sleep._

_"Come along now, Allison, your father's busy." Grace tries to move her from the office door._

_"He's always busy." She spits out venomously._

She wasn't wrong, in that sense. 

You were about to pass his office until you heard loud clattering and an irritated voice mumbling along.

"Where's the cash, Dad?" Klaus. Only he would say something like that. You step into the office to reveal a clutter of papers behind your father's desk. Behind the desk, revealed Klaus. He was searching through each drawer, hoping to find an inheritance or something valuable to sell. You knew he was a junkie, starting at his teen years. He said something about ghosts never leaving him be, so being hammered was the only way to be rid of the constant yammering of the dead. Unlike a lot of junkies, he didn't look as half as bad, but not any better either.

"Klaus, get out of the drawers for fuck's sake." Klaus yelped, clearing not expecting to be caught this fast. He got up from under the desk, to see you with slight amusement painted on your face. His face lights up in surprise.

"Oh, (Y/N), it's been way too long since I last saw you. Come 'ere." You don't even have time to pull away before he practically tackled you in a hug. He's always been an affectionate guy, and you being close to him reminded you of the happier times in this house. 

Klaus pulled away a little to get a glimpse of your face, still shocked that you've grown so much. You don't wear too much makeup, since it is a rainy day, but you've matured into your looks. Klaus isn't that much taller than you. He could tower over Vanya, since she's on the small side, but Allison and Diego have a few inches on him. You haven't seen Luther yet, but you know he's always been the tallest of the bunch.

You took a glimpse at his lanky figure and his oddly eccentric clothing. Your eyes landed on a white band on his left hand and make a grab at it before he can suspect anything.

"Fresh outta rehab?" You smirked amusingly and inspect it. He tried to cover it up, but the cat was out of the bag. 

"Oh, no no no no, I'm done with all that," He practically stuttered out. He sighs, "I just came down here to prove to myself that the old man was really gone." His voice shook, but you knew better. It wasn't out of sorrow or loss, but pure joy. Klaus had quite a bit of trauma from Reginald and it felt justified.

"And he is! He's dead. Yeah!" Klaus clapped his hands excitedly and celebrated. It wasn't too long before he starts rambling again about Reginald. 

"You know how I know? Because if he were alive," He started getting closer, half climbing on the desk like a child. "Not one of us would be allowed to set foot in this room." 

It was true. Even when you were babies, the door was always closed on you. You can't help but sigh when Klaus settles himself into your father's old chair.

"He was always in here, our whole childhood, plotting his next torment, right?" He chuckled out and rested his feet on a few of Reginald's papers.

"Remember how he used to look at us? That scowl?" Klaus pointed to the painting resting behind the desk, with Reginald and his resting frown of disappointment.

"Thank Christ he's not our real father so we couldn't inherit those cold, dead eyes." You spat out, remembering his face of disapproval and greed for more. Klaus propped his eyes open mockingly and let out a small scream. You chuckled, Klaus was always the comedian.

"Number Eight-" He started to imitate Reginald but was cut off by an annoyed command

"Get out of his chair." Luther came into the room, followed closely by Allison. He was larger than you expected. You and Klaus stared at the giant man that towered over the both of you. 

"Oh wow, Luther, look at you," Klaus trailed off. You didn't know what to say either, but kept taking in his appearance. "You really filled out over the years." He flexed a little to emphasize his point.

Before Luther can lecture the junkie, he's already made his way out the door, mumbling. He didn't make it past Luther though, as his hand stopped him by the shoulder.

"Drop it." A clear command that tells you that he isn't in the mood for jokes.

"Ex-squeeze me?" Klaus gasped, slightly offended.

"Do it. Now." Luther squeezed his shoulder a little. Klaus stood there, shocked, but grumbled out an alright.

"It's just and advance on our inheritance," He pulled out a golden chalice from his pocket coat along with a few other things he took before dropping it. "That's all it is." 

Allison and you shared a chuckle. Klaus was always the drama queen.

"No need to get your little panties in a bunch." He faked a hurt voice, wrapping his arms around his waist and left. Now all that's left in the office is you, Allison, and Luther. 

Luther turned to you, "(Y/N)." is all he manages to get out. You manage to shake his hand, like a stranger. You were never close to Luther, since you felt he was always self-righteous and uptight due to Reginald's high expectations of him playing leader. He stayed with him, playing hero and going on missions for the "good of the world." Bullshit.

Despite your differences, you don't pull away. You smile, almost bitterly at the thought of your father.

"It's been a long time, since I've seen you, Number One."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my back hurts. i would've continued this chapter but it's way too long already and i don't want to keep it going, otherwise i'd just write out the entire story. i think that i haven't given the reader much character but there isn't much to fit in.

**Author's Note:**

> i hope this was good enough. my apologies though.


End file.
